S. Korea seeks to arrest former officials in N. Korea case

By HYUNG-JIN KIM and KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean prosecutors have requested arrest warrants for the former defense minister and coast guard chief in the country’s previous government as they investigate its handling of North Korea’s killing of a fisheries official in 2020 near the rivals’ tense sea border. Since taking office in May, President Yoon Suk Yeol’s conservative government has launched new probes into past issues including the 2020 killing, drawing strong criticism from supporters of the previous liberal government who say the moves are political revenge. Conservatives suspect the previous government falsely said the fisheries official was slain while attempting to defect to North Korea, in an attempt by authorities to avoid public criticism of the North and pursue closer ties between the countries.